Seeing Clearly Through Travel-Weary Eyes

April 12: Wheels up from Houston to Baltimore to meet up with one of my consulting clients and 70 of their top clients on a trip to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. My focus is to work the stations’ clients without distractions. Last year, I took along a date for this same trip. I enjoyed the company, but I must admit that having someone along proved to be quite a diversion.

Tip #1: Limit your daily distractions. I see a lot of sales reps picking up their dry cleaning or getting their nails done during work hours. How much time are you in front of prospects or clients each day? Giving clients your undivided attention for a week and getting to know them up close puts sales - and your performance - at a whole new level.

APRIL 18: A lot of business was written on the beaches of Punta Cana thanks to the bond created outside of the normal selling arena.

Tip #2:Why don’t more stations put together sales incentive trips like these? While I was in the kiddie pool splashing around with some of the clients’ kids, I asked Chris William and Vicki Simonetti from Christopher William Jewelers in Weyers Cave,VA, to give some tips for media sales reps:

Tip #3: Send confirmation notes once the appointment is made: Chris says to make sure it’s handwritten, not typed. What percentage of your sales reps do this? Imagine if they all did! Would it change your revenue? It would!

Tip #4: Dress for success. Both Vicki and Chris mentioned that they would not buy a station rated tops in their market if the rep was dressed in a cheesy suit and shoes that haven’t been shined in a month. "It’s about wanting to be around powerful, successful people. I feel better knowing someone who looks successful and drives a decent car is handling my advertising money," Vicki said. Think about your wardrobe it does make a lasting impression!

Tip #5:They both attend seminars given by their media partners. When was the last time your stations put on a seminar for your clients - one that doesn’t focus strictly on radio, but on the strengths of all media? This is a sustaining resource for your clients.

Tip #6: Do you really know your clients? One of my New Year’s resolutions for 2007 was to learn the names of spouses, significant others, and children of everyone who works at the properties we consult.Yes, it requires a concentrated effort. Do you and your sales reps know those names? This is not about schmoozing - it’s about caring.

April 20: I met one of the most interesting people on the flight back to Baltimore. Greg Turner runs Phoenix Development in Harrisonburg, VA. Greg was on the 1980 USA and 1984 Olympic swimming teams for paraplegics, and now works in a missionary hospital in Guatemala. Here are his tips for success:

Tip #7: Failure is not an option. "No matter your situation, you can find answers to any of your problems if you don’t feel like a victim all the time," Greg said.

Tip #8:Always give of yourself to help other people. Make this an unspoken rule, and never expect anything in return.

April 21: Back to Houston for 36 hours.

Tip #8:Make sure you get enough sleep. Had a hard weekend? Some reps go back home and sleep after the Monday morning sales meeting. Salespeople who look like they didn’t sleep the night before will not inspire confidence from their clients.

April 23: Off to British Columbia to work with our online site www.castanet.net, for a week.

Tip #9: Expand your horizons. We just started the Castanet auto mall, and already seven dealers are involved (the target is 14). Challenge yourself by combining your radio station with online to create the ultimate "air force" (radio) and "ground force" (online) combination for you clients. This particular example is for auto dealers, who are still spending 30 percent of their local advertising in the local newspaper.The auto mall on Castanet dispels the theory that auto dealers can’t live without newspaper.

April 30: I’m finishing up my article for Radio Ink on the plane. I have a 65-hour turnaround before I leave for Honolulu for a speaking engagement. Despite my experience during last year’s trip to Punta Cana, I’m thinking of inviting a friend along. I’ll let you know if her company becomes a distraction!

Tip #10: Focus follows fun.


Sean Luce is the head national instructor at Luce Performance Group. He can be reached at 832-567-6340 or by e-mail at Sean@luceperformancegroup.com.